American military muscle
and a poignant reminder of
the cost of war. This is the
location of the Department
of Defense’s largest
mortuary, and traditionally
the first stop on native
soil for the remains of
American service members
killed overseas.
The base is the site of
the Air Mobility Command
Museum (%302-677-5938;
http://www.amcmuseum.org; cnr Hwys
9 & 1 (1301 Heritage Rd); h9am-
4pm Tue-Sun) F. If you’re
into aviation, you’ll enjoy
it; the nearby airfield
is filled with restored
vintage cargo and freightplanes, including C-130s, a
Vietnam War-era C-7 and
WWII era ‘Flying Boxcar.’
Two miles from
the base is the John
Dickinson Plantation
(%302-739-3277; http://
history.delaware.gov/museums;
340 Kitts Hummock Road,
Dover; h10am-3:30pm; p),
the restored 18th-century
home of the founding
father of the same
name, also known as the
Penman of the Revolution
for his eloquent
written arguments for
independence.54 p244
The Drive » The longest drive
on this trip is also the simplest
and prettiest. Follow DE-9 north
for 50 miles, passing several
protected wetlands along the
way, all the way to New Castle.7 New Castle
Like a colonial playset
frozen in amber,
downtown New Castle
is all grey cobbles and
beige stonework, with
wrought iron details
throughout. In fact, the
entire four- by five-block
area has been designated
a National Historic
Landmark. The local OldStart: 8 Wilmington
Head out of Wilmington on the Kennett Pike and then turn north onto Montchanin
Rd. Head north for about 6 miles and you’re in the intersection of some of the
wealthiest suburbs of Wilmington, West Chester, PA, and Philadelphia, a green and
lush region also known as the Brandywine Valley.
The grandest of the grand homes that pepper the valley is Winterthur (%302-888-
4600; http://www.winterthur.org; 5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52); adult/child $18/5; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun)
(Winter-tour), the palatial mansion of the du Pont family, whose wealth built much of
Delaware. Today, the residence and its magnificent gardens are open to the public.
Curators maintain the home as both a testament to Henry Francis du Pont’s love of
early-American architectural styles and American decorative arts and antiques.
Friendly docents lead tours around the grounds, pointing out design and
architectural oddities and generally sharing an infectious enthusiasm.
The nearby gardens include flower beds that bloom in alternating seasons, which
means the grounds are always swathed in some floral fireworks display. Kids will
love the Enchanted Forest, built to resemble a children’s book come to life.
Just minutes away is Brandywine Creek State Park (%302-577-3534; http://www.
destateparks.com/park/brandywine-creek; 41 Adams Dam Road, Wilmington; $3; h8am-sunset).
This green space would be impressive anywhere, but is doubly so considering how
close it is to prodigious urban development. Nature trails and shallow streams
wend through the park; contact Wilderness Canoe Trips (%302-654-2227; http://www.
wildernesscanoetrips.com; 2111 Concord Pike; kayak/canoe trip from $46/56, per tube $18) for
information on paddling or tubing down the dark-green Brandywine creek.WINTERTHUR & THE BRANDYWINE
VALLEYDETOUR:
WASHINGTON.DC,.MARYLAND.&.DELAWARE.TRIPS20
(^) EASTERN SHORE ODYSSEY